Anyone else’s baby born with Clubfoot?

I found out my baby girl had bilateral Clubfoot at my 20 week anatomy scan. When she was born we fell in love with her turned in feet and enjoyed the 6 weeks of waiting to bring her into the specialist to correct them.

She began her the casting phase of the Ponseti treatment at 6 weeks to begin manipulating her foot in the correct position. Every week we changed casts and her foot was pulled into the right position.

After 3 casts, she was cut by the saw when they were removing it and she had cuts up and down her legs. We had to be out of casts for a week to allow them to heal. Her feet turned back in during that week. Against my better judgement I went ahead and went back to them as they promised a more skilled nurse would remove them from now on.

After another 3 casts I began to get a bad feeling in my heart. I knew that normal treatment lasted 5-6 casts and the dr told me he has no idea when she would be out of casts. I went ahead and made an appointment with one of the best Clubfoot doctors in the US who just happened to be 45 minutes away from where I live. (dr dobbs)

He had us remove the casts at home so we were out of them for another week and her feet did turn back in but he was able to correct them in 3 casts.

Today we had the tendon release tenotomy where they cut the Achilles’ tendon to lengthen it and allow her foot to move up and down. They casted her for the final time to allow her to heal in the correct position and she will be in this cast for 3 weeks before moving on to the next phase, boots and bar. (Boots with a bar in between to keep her feet corrected)

The tenotomy has been so hard for all of us today. She screamed. Not just a cry. But a painful, anxiety filled blood curdling scream I couldn’t calm her down from. Finally after 8 hours, she is okay to the point where she doesn’t cry every time I move her or she wakes up. Or when she moves her legs.

We give her Tylenol every 4 hours as instructed and I prop her legs up with a blanket and I have let her comfort nurse (I exclusively breastfeed) and it seems to help.

This has been a long journey for us as it began May 30th and my poor baby has been through so much in 3 and a half months. She turns 4 months next Friday. She also had colic from 2 weeks old till 3 months.

She is my first baby and I hope once her pain goes away the sun will be brighter for us as we finally move on to the final stage.

Pics are from before treatment to what her feet look like now before the tenotomy today. ❤️ And then also a cutie one. 💜

Do you also have a Clubfoot baby??? I wanna know about your journey so far!!

Comments (36)

She is beautiful. I can't imagine how hard it would be to watch your baby go through that. Wishing her a speedy recovery!

There's a popular kid's chapter book out right now about a girl who has a club foot that was not fixed as a child. It's called "The War That Saved My Life." My 10 year old loved that book and it's sequel, so I showed him these photos and he wishes her well also. Perhaps it's something you could read to/with her when she's older to help her understand how important it was that she had it fixed, how brave she was to endure the treatment, even as a baby, and how loving you were as parents to seek out the best treatment for her as soon as possible.

I don’t have any experience with club foot but I want to send you so many positive and encouraging mom vibes for navigating so much medical treatment uncertainty with your baby. It is SO (significant other) FREAKING HARD to make decisions on opinions—every doctor has one! It is an incredibly difficult process to weigh the pros and cons and uncertainties and I just want to send you a love blast for every step you’ve been through and every step going forward. Not at all the same, but I had a tongue tie revision on myself last week bc I’m not putting my kids through any more treatments unless I experience significant improvements (my tie is much more severe than either of their’s, ds (dear son) was revised at 4 weeks but a couple of LCs have recently told me they think he still has issues...a re-revision at his age would be under general anesthesia!!). I’m about a week in and have concluded I would not put my kids through this (again; not the same as club foot!!). It is terrible. I guess just sympathizing with you as you try to make decisions for your daughter and watching her be in pain. It’s tough. But I think you’ve done the very best any one could do. Wishing her a fully and speedy recovery and same for your momma’s heart watching her go through this 💗

Ps one of my son’s preschool classmates has no feet. She is fully active and runs and plays just like all the other kids. I knew she wore braces but didn’t know until a bday party last week that she doesn’t have feet. Your daughter will be ok. Putting that out there for you. 💗💗💗💗

Ps one of my son’s preschool classmates has no feet. She is fully active an...

Posted
08/10/2019

Ps one of my son’s preschool classmates has no feet. She is fully active and runs and plays just like all the other kids. I knew she wore braces but didn’t know until a bday party last week that she doesn’t have feet. Your daughter will be ok. Putting that out there for you. 💗💗💗💗

You are so brave going through that treatment for yourself! Thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement. It truly means a lot as it’s been so tough on my husband and I for our little baby. 🌻

I just wanted to update you all, she is doing so much better! She is rolling over again and being a little silly girl. But sleeping has been so difficult for her. I think she just isn’t comfortable and so she is having a hard time. During the day her 1-2 hour naps are just 30 minutes long. And night time is restless. I’m hoping she will settle down soon! Thank you all for your well wishes!!

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